Clever Coatings - Oxford Advanced Surfaces

(Isis - 1309)

Oxford Advanced Surfaces Group is commercialising a breakthrough surface modification technology.

The company was spun out by Isis Innovation in 2006, a culmination of many years of research by Drs Mark Moloney and Jon-Paul Griffiths of Oxford’s Chemistry Department.

“We could see the long term potential for the project. The coating technology was able to modify the surface properties of polymers, glass, and even diamond,” says Isis Project Team Leader Dr Mairi Gibbs, who worked with the inventors for a number of years, building the business plan and identifying the first customers for the spin-out.

The advanced coatings are only a few molecules thick and can be used to produce dramatic changes in the surface properties of inert materials such as polyethylene, glass, Teflon and diamond.  The coatings can change colouration, adhesion, and the biocidal activity of surfaces.

They can be applied as a wet coating by spin, dip, roll or spray and cured with either heat or irradiation. By selective coating using screen or inkjet printing, or selective curing, the technology can permanently change the surface functionality of an item.

In 2007, the company listed on AIM through a reverse takeover of Kanyon Plc, forming the Oxford Advanced Surfaces Group.

The company aims to commercialise advanced materials and technology solutions across a range of markets including electronics, specialty fibres, textiles, laminates and composites, sterile surfaces, separation media and microarrays, biomedical materials and photovoltaics, solid state lighting and fuel cells.

www.oxfordadvancedsurfaces.com

Lead Researchers: Dr Mark Moloney, Dr Jon-Paul Griffiths

University Department: Chemistry

Date of Disclosure to Isis: 1998

University Challenge Seed Fund (UCSF) Support:  £150,000